NSW - climate

NSW is described as being in the temperate zone although the climate undergoes large variations depending on proximity to the coast and mountains (EPA 1997).

The temperature can be very high in the north-west of the State and very cold in the southern alpine regions, but the climate across NSW is generally mild.

Long-term median rainfall varies from a low of 200 mm in the arid north-west of the State to a high of more than 1,500 mm along the north-east coast (EPA 1997). This describes a general trend, with rainfall decreasing from the east to the west of NSW.